Generally, a server is powered by a power source of the server. A management module of the server is responsible for the management function. For accomplishing the management function of the server, such as hardware upgrade or log collection, the management module of the server needs to be initialized to some status with the use of the power source of the server. The entire procedure of the initializing to some status includes complicated user operations, such as configuring a web connection and user authentication, all of which need the cooperation of a power module.
When there is a problem of the server, generally, a maintenance staff will replace the server motherboard with a new motherboard, and bring the original motherboard back to a lab for diagnosis, so as to find the problem. The power source configured for the lab is essentially the same as the power source of the power module configured for the server. In doing so, however, it is time-consuming. The maintenance staff usually wishes to diagnose in the field, in order to determine if the server motherboard is problematic.
It is necessary to conduct a series of installations and configurations to collect logs or update/recover hardware, so as to diagnose a piece of problematic server motherboard to locate problems. When there is a problem with the server in the field, the power source of the server might not be able to supply power; usually, there is no spare power source of the server in the field, and it is very inconvenient for maintenance staff to carry a spare power source of the server with them. Some problems of the server may also cause firmware of the management module to not work properly, and the maintenance staff cannot diagnose the problems with the managing functions provided by the firmware of the management module.